Saving Grace
by horses05
Summary: Anne Boleyn needed one saving grace, one son to hold her position as queen of England for her life. In January 1536, history states that she miscarried that son, which marked her downfall. But, what if she managed to hold onto that saving grace, her son?
1. The Saving Grace

**So, this story has been nagging at me for a while. It basically explores what would have happened in history is Anne had not lost that last child, the son, that basically sealed off her fate in Henry's mind. And, in my opinion, it would have been waaaaay different. Anne Boleyn is my favorite Henry VIII wife and English queen in history. She changed so much for England.**

**And I must say, as to the Anne Boleyn birth date argument that's been going on for YEARS: I believe that Anne was born in 1501, because frankly, all of the letters and stuff had to come from someone born earlier than 1507. But, for this story, we're going with the 1507 birth year.**

_**13 January 1536, Whitehall Palace**_

Anne Boleyn had never, for as long as she could remember, been so scared before in all of her 29 years. When she saw the blood on her nightgown and on the sheets of the bed, she though for sure, no she _knew_, that the son that she so desperately needed had died. And then all the what if's came into her mind.

What if Henry had never fallen off of that horse?

What if she had never caught him with Jane Seymour?

Would the baby had never been so close to death?

Thankfully though, within an hour or so, the doctor had successfully been able to hold off a miscarriage, and, though she was ordered to take her lying in much earlier than planned, her son would be safe. _Her savior would be safe. _Henry had heard the news of the baby's close call to death and came barging into her rooms, only to be stopped and held back by Charles Brandon and Anne's ladies in waiting. Once he was allowed in, he was told that, though it had been a close call, the child would be fine if Anne took to her lying in immediately. He soon agreed and then sat with Anne.

They had had a long talk where Henry soon confessed that part of him blamed himself for what had happened. If he hadn't have been so foolish as to get up onto that horse, than maybe this wouldn't have happened. Or if he hadn't have taken an interest into the Seymour girl and stayed focused on Anne, than everything would be fine.

A few harsh words were mixed in. Naturally.

Though, one thing that Henry soon caved on was Jane Seymour. Anne soon pressured him into sending her away from court, because as she had put it, 'her presence within her ladies would only cause her great trouble, which, with the health of the child in mind, was not something that anyone would want.

Jane Seymour was to leave the court and return to Wolf Hall at first light tomorrow morning.

Her father was also very pleased to hear that she had successfully kept her child in her belly, and sent word to her of this. George was one of the first people by her bedside after Henry had left, and was making her laugh soon after he walked inside the room.

"You're always the one looking to keep the attention on you aren't you? The attention strays and you come up with some act to get our hearts in our throats."

By his words, one would this that he was giving her a stern talking to. But, the smirk on his face proved otherwise. This was a joke, like so many before in their lives together, which she could only glare at.

"Like I planned to have a scare like that George. This child, this _son_, will be the saving grace for all of the Boleyn's and Howard's. If he were to be lost, than we would be lost too."

Her voice was strong and stern, and George could not find a reply for that, for he knew, deep down, all jokes aside, that it was true. If Anne had failed to carry this child to term, then Henry would get rid of her, especially with the new death of Katherine of Aragon.

Though, for know, with the help of some divine intervention, Anne and her child, were both safe. The Boleyn/Howard family was safe in their pedestals of one of the highest families in England.


	2. The Turnaround

**So, another chapter. Sorry it took so long, I've been SWAMPED!!! I have to finish a project due tomorrow, that's only like a third of the way through, for 3:30 pm. And then we've been practicing for a chorus concert tonight, and a whole bunch of other stuff. GAH!**

**History states that when Anne miscarried the son, Chapuys stated that the child was about three and a half months along. That was in late January. Just a note. **

_**Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else's can shorten it. **_

_**-Cullen Hightower**_

_February 18, 1536- Whitehall Palace (Four months pregnant)_

To say that God had handed him a sign was an understatement. He had handed him a warning, a sign, a blessing, and so many other things all wrapped into one precious gift. That gift was now lying in his queen's belly as she rested in the large bed, her snow white hand trapped in his. Her stomach already had a bump that signified that their son was growing healthy inside of her, and continued to fill him with hope every time he saw it. Though he couldn't help but feel some guilt.

He was the one that had caused the close call of Anne almost losing their son. If he hadn't have stressed her out so much, their child never would have been put in the line of danger.

Though, he had found a way to turn the view around. This had to be God's way of warning him, that if he didn't straighten his act out, then he would have no sons. That he had to be more devoted to his wife, his queen. And, he silently vowed as he sat and watched her sleep, that he would do all it took to protect her from now on.

When he finally returned to his own chambers, the young Edward Seymour was standing in the meeting room waiting for him with a letter in his hand, the seal of the Seymour family on the paper.

"Seymour, what are you doing here? I thought that I had sent your family away."

"You did sir… but I have come to deliver a letter to your majesty."

"A letter?"

"Yes, from my sister, Jane."

He couldn't help but to smirk slightly. He could only wonder what it was, probably a plea to be allowed to come back, a plea of eternal love. Though, he accepted it and sent the Seymour away.

When he was finally alone, he opened the letter and scanned over it, and, as he had thought, it was a letter begging to him, a letter of eternal love. He had to laugh. Laugh at the thought that not even a month ago, he would have brought her back, secretly, without Anne's knowledge and then resume his affair with her. But, now, he only felt humor at the young child's naïve plight. He was the King of England, the Head of the Church, and the devoted husband to his wife, who was now lying in bed taking care of herself and their son. The thought that he had thought of discarding his beautiful, intelligent, young, fiery wife for someone else, was hilarious now. And, as he threw the half read letter into the fire and prepared for bed, he continued to laugh at the idea.

This bed rest would be the death of her she swore it. Five months of lying in? Anne knew that it was for the health of her child, but how could anyone expect her to stay in bed as life swirled around her? George frequently came in, and Henry too, but those were really the only two. And they spared anything that they felt would only stress her out.

But the truth was, was that the public was not taking the news too well. When they heard that the queen had managed to hold onto her child, and that the King had pushed away all mistresses and had become fully devoted to his bed ridding wife, they began to yell witchcraft.

Anne had cast a spell on the King, this was all just because of it they said.

They also said that this child wasn't even his, that it was one of many lovers that she had. They mentioned that she had lost the King's child a long time ago, and that instead of telling the truth she wove an intricate web of lies as she lay with a lover and conceived a new child, the child now in her belly.

In response to the fire of rumors, Henry took a metaphorical bucket of water and dumped it all over the naysayers. He reaffirmed that he infact loved his wife, their crowned queen, on his own free will, and cast away all mistress on his own free will too. He also affirmed that the child, the son, that was in Anne's belly, was his. That with God's good grace, the child was a second chance for everyone. For him to change his ways and become a better king, and for the people to look at their queen and accept her as a good and gracious queen.

Every day he sat with her, talking about all of the things that he felt would be good for her to hear. How her little niece, Mary's daughter, was blossoming as a promising young lady within the court, and how Elizabeth was proving to be both of her parent's child with her intelligence and willingness to learn about new things. And how George was even looking to enjoy his wife, a woman that he believed to be 'disgusting' before.

"It really would not be surprising if the Lady Rochford was announced to be with child soon with how much George is paying attention and doting on her. You would believe that she were a princess."

Anne replied tot hat with a light tinkle of laughter. She could picture George, who was put at ease with the safety of the child, taking his newly given second chance and run with it. Doing everything that he didn't do before with fervor.

She knew that if this child were not a son, that the happiness within her family and the doting king, would all disappear. It would go back to being one big walking danger that it was before, with all of the miscarriages. The mistresses would come back and she would be counting the days that Henry kept her by his side. She knew that all she could do was follow doctor's orders and pray that the child growing within her was a healthy rambunctious son of the King of England.

**And that's the end of this chapter. Please review. Next chapter will jump ahead, since this is mainly an Anne story and Anne isn't doing much. But it won't do too far, probably a few months or so.**


	3. The Calm Before the Storm

**Lol. Is this story really that popular? 319 Hits for the second chapter ALREADY? Wow. But, it just make me oh so happy if all those people stopping to read this story would stop and write a review! Oh, and I have a poll up on my page, so check it out!**

_**Our patience will achieve more than our force. **_

_**-Edmund Burke**_

_July 31, 1536- Greenwich Palace (9 months pregnant)_

Anne Boleyn had never been so impatient in her life. This child was supposed to be born more than a week ago, but no, it decided to stay within her and take its precious time. Right now, she could care less if the child was a girl or a boy, as long as it got _out_ ASAP.

Henry, naturally, didn't care how long the child took to finally come out, as long as it was a healthy son that he claimed 'England needed'. All the time, without fail, during his daily visits, he would sit down and ask after how she was feeling, to which she would respond that the kicking and stabbing of the child's feet and hands to her belly was getting annoying, and that he would never stop the activity, he was always moving. The annoyance was extremely easy to catch on her voice and on her face, and it took everything for him to hold back the smirk that was threatening to push forth onto his face.

On one such day, Anne was even more annoyed than ever. The heat from the endless summer sun pushed in even through the barred windows and made the dark room hot and unbearable, and Anne, unable to move around her large belly, was trapped suffering within her own little world. To ease the discomfort, she didn't wear any gowns minus a light chemise shift, and her hair was wrapped up into an unelaborated bun.

To be honest, Henry was quite astonished when he walked into the room to see the usually so well put together Anne laying on top of the thick blankets with only a shift on and her hair put up so unelaborately. For the past five months, even though her family, her ladies in waiting, and himself, were the only ones to see her, she was so well put together.

Obviously the heat had gotten to her.

"And how are you today, Anne?"

His question was just like every other day's question, and like so many other days lately it was met with an angry expression and a sigh.

"The heat. Can't there be anything done to get rid of this heat?"

It was more of a plea than anything else, and it made his heartstrings tug as she shifted slightly, her large belly forbidding her to do much more than shift about an inch or so.

"I am sorry, dear. But, the weather is out of my power."

Her response was a little, irritated sigh to which, in response, he came over to the bed, sat down and took her hand in his and placed his other hand on her stomach, where there son greeted him with a firm kick. Feeling the movement he couldn't help but grin. It was a sign that the child grew happy and healthy within his mother.

"Well, you can't control the weather. But can you at least try to convince the child to stop taking his sweet time inside there and come out? I'm going stir crazy in here!"

He chuckled slightly, remembering the times that his mother would often go crazy with the lying in times just like Anne would. He had never had such a problem with Katherine, who was always quiet about the tedious process and accepted everything in stride.

Though he also knew, though she never mentioned it, that Anne was nervous. She knew that she was sitting on the edge of a cliff, and the sooner that the child came out a strong, healthy son, the sooner her position as queen would be safe.

"He will come when he is ready to introduce himself to the world. Stop being so impatient." He gave her a soft peck on the forehead before standing up and heading towards the door. "I must leave for now, but I will be back later tonight. Get some rest."

As he left, Anne rolled her eyes. Her mind seemed to wander a thousand different ways before she slowly felt herself wander into darkness, and slowly lull off to sleep.

It had to be not more than three hours before George came strolling into the room and plopped down on the bed. He watched as his sister turned her head back and forth in her dreams for a while before he poked her awake. Her dark eyes met his with a look of irritation, to which he could only grin back at. 

"Little annoyed today are we not sister?"

"You would be too if you were stuck in this hot room all day all the time and you had a kicking child within you that was supposed to be out more than a week ago."

Her tone was biting, and he raised his hands up in joke surrender. 

"Back down tiger. I was only asking an innocent question."

His tone was joking, and Anne's shoulders sank before softly throwing an apology. George only nodded before placing a hand on her shoulder and grinning.

"Besides, your patience will be rewarded when you hold a beautiful son within your arms that resembles the king."

That had her smiling, as the image entered her mind of a child with her looks heavily intertwined with Henry's. A son that would grow to be a wonderful king and caring brother, husband, and someday father of his own children. Though the thought was soon interrupted and a frown replaced her smile when another thought entered her head. A son with the same looks, but this time pale and lifeless. Or, not even a son resembling its father, but another daughter resembling its father.

"George, but what if it's another girl? Or if it's just born dead? What will happen to us then?"

The thought was a scary one, and, though he knew that it would most likely mean a certain fall from grace of the Boleyn and Howard family, he pretended not to know.

"We will come to that if it happens, sister. But, I guarantee you; you carry the king's healthy, lively son within you. Ill thoughts will only cause you unneeded stress."

About four hours later saw Anne in a fast sleep and her ladies in waiting close but keeping themselves occupied with various card games, sewing, or reading. It was relatively quiet minus a few light giggles.

Though, that was soon all interrupted when a sharp cry from the sleeping queen startled everyone.

"Nan!"

Her frightened voice called out for her chief lady in waiting to which the woman quickly entered the bedchamber. Anne was sitting up in bed, the sleep not yet brushed from her eyes, and she was clutching her stomach. She looked up with a painful expression as Nan entered the room.

"I do believe that it is time that England has a prince."


End file.
